


Libraries are for Studying

by CelesteFitzgerald



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Marauders' Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 02:27:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17458853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelesteFitzgerald/pseuds/CelesteFitzgerald
Summary: Sirius joins Remus in the library to study, but he has trouble focusing on his textbook with something so much more fascinating sitting right in front of him.





	Libraries are for Studying

“Sirius, please stop.”

“Stop what?”

Remus looked up from his book to glare at him. “You _know_ what.” In retrospect, Remus should have expected this. He really should have said no when Sirius decided to tag along to the library, but with the number of times he had begged Sirius to focus more on his classwork, saying no now would have made him look like a hypocrite.

Still, it was quite difficult to study with such an attractive boy on the opposite side of the table, resting his chin on the book he was ‘reading’ and not-even-a-little-bit-subtly staring at Remus. “You’re supposed to be studying,” said Remus.

“So are you,” said Sirius, waggling his quill in Remus’ face, “but here you are, having a conversation with me instead.”

“And whose fault is that?” Remus asked.

Sirius just smiled, not even trying to shift the blame. “Anyways, you’re wrong. I _have_ been studying.”

“Really?” asked Remus. “I find it hard to believe you’ve learned anything when you’ve been on the same page of your potions book for the past twenty minutes.”

“I know how much you hate to be wrong, but I _have_ in fact learned a lot since we got here, my dear Moony,” Sirius said as he stuck his elbows on the table and propped his head up on his hands.

Sighing, Remus leaned away from his book to focus on Sirius. “Well then. What have you learned?”

Sirius narrowed his eyes in thought. “Let’s see…I’ve learned that Remus Lupin closes his eyes and chews on the left side of his bottom lip whenever he’s trying to remember something.”

Remus sharply inhaled—then looked around to make sure that they weren’t disturbing any other students.

“I’ve learned that you alternate between sticking your hand in your hair while you focus and running your hand back through your hair to smooth it down when you realize you’ve messed it up—see, exactly like that!”

Lowering his hand back down, Remus looked down at the table as he felt his face heating up. But Sirius just leaned further towards him so Remus couldn’t avoid looking at him. If this went on much longer, Remus wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep it together.

“I’ve learned,” Sirius whispered, “that you smile every time you sneak a glance at me when you think I’m not looking.”

“Wh—no, I don’t,” Remus stammered while Sirius just kept smirking at him.

“Really?” asked Sirius. “Because I’ve been doing a _lot_ of studying, and I’m pretty sure you do.”

If he wasn’t so flustered, Remus would have kept trying to pretend that Sirius was wrong, but all he could do at the moment was focus on breathing somewhat normally. He managed to regain enough of his composure to speak again. “Is that _all_ you’ve learned this entire time?” he asked, putting on what he hoped was a convincing glare.

“No,” Sirius said. His smirk disappeared and was replaced by a genuine smile. “I’ve learned that you look really cute when you blush.”

“ _Merlin_ , Sirius,” Remus said as he buried his face in his hands in exasperation— _not_ to hide the blush that was stronger than ever on his cheeks. Within a few seconds, however, he felt his hands being dragged away from his face.

“Okay, _technically_ I might have lied a bit on that last one,” Sirius said as he released his grip on Remus’ wrists to trace tiny circles into the back of Remus’ hand. “I learned that one _years_ ago.”

Remus couldn’t stop the smile that sneaked onto his face. He wrapped his fingers about Sirius’ and squeezed. “Thanks. But that really won’t help you with your exams—”

Sirius sighed much too loudly for a library and rolled his eyes. “So? You’re way more important than our bloody exams. And you’re always telling me to prioritize better, right?”

“That…that’s not what I meant,” Remus said, but his will to argue faded as his smile grew. Sirius may not be good at writing essays, but he still certainly had a way with words.

“So, how’d I do?” Sirius asked. “Did I pass the ‘Remus Lupin’ exam?”

With Sirius staring at him with those puppy-dog eyes, Remus couldn’t have said no even if he had wanted to. “Sure, you passed.”

“Yes!” Sirius ‘yelled’ and threw his arms up into the air, drawing a couple stares from students at nearby tables. “What’s my reward?”

“Reward?” Remus laughed.

Sirius nodded and waited.

Remus ran his fingers through his hair while he thought. “How about I buy you dinner this weekend?”

“Wow, _Professor_ Lupin, do you always ask your students out on dates?” Sirius teased.

Remus picked up his textbook and lightly smacked it against Sirius’ face. “Don’t make me change my mind,” he said as he gathered up his things.

“You’re done studying already? That’s not like you,” Sirius said.

“I know. But I can study later. I think I’d like to hang out with you now instead—you know, prioritizing, right?”

Sirius jumped up and began packing up his own things. “I think I might be a bad influence on you,” he said as they left the table.

 _Obviously_ , thought Remus, but he was glad Sirius was finally self-aware enough to realize it for himself. They walked back to the common room as they had done so many times before, but the way their hands casually brushed together every few steps was new. Remus wanted to study that feeling forever.


End file.
